Elemental Touch

Chapter 1

David

David watched as the last of his boxes were carried out to the street from his second-story apartment. The rain poured down in sheets soaking all of his worldly belongings. The eviction notice was served over two weeks ago, but with no job and nowhere to go, David conveniently lost the notice and claimed to have forgotten about it. However, he wasn’t stupid- he knew this day was coming; he was just in a little bit of denial. This is bullshit! I just told you the check’s in the mail! He pleaded with the movers.

Yeah sure, buddy. The mover shrugged as he set the last box down. Just get your stuff outta here or the city’s gonna dump it.

Fuck you, man! You move it! David yelled as the movers just chuckled and nonchalantly got back into their truck.

Have a good night, tough guy. The driver laughed as they drove off.

David quickly threw on his brown hoodie and grabbed his backpack. He loaded it with some clothes and other essentials, all of which were soaked by this point, and began walking down the street. In spite of it being eleven o’clock at night the streets were still teaming with life, or at least something close to it. Scantily clad women huddled together under awnings near their respective street corners -afraid to abandon their post for fear of being beaten by their managers. Pushers sat in cars by their corners so their product didn’t get ruined in the rain. No decent person had any business on the streets in these conditions, which left David pondering a question: was he a decent person who was stuck in a bad situation, or was he just another inhabitant of the night who simply hadn’t yet found his niche?

At just twenty-three years of age, David had already been on his own for five years. He ran from his overly religious family in the middle of his senior year without so much as a letter or a phone call. He hadn’t spoken to anyone in his family since. He often wondered what might have happened if he had stayed. Maybe college? A career? A chance to be a productive citizen? Sure, he would have had all those things, but in David’s eyes he would have had no life. To live on the edge of society, to never know what was coming next, to David this was truly living. However, nights like tonight were the unfortunate price he paid for the privilege of living such a life.

As David walked through the Red Light District of town the neon lights cast an eerie red and green glow over the glistening streets. He didn’t bother to try and outrun the rain. He figured the slower he walked the crazier he’d appear, the more likely his chances were of being left alone. David passed by a small electronics store that still had their TVs on and found himself compelled to stop. He cared nothing about news or current events but he was drawn to the light of the screens as if they would somehow transport him away from the cold and wet environment he was currently in, even if just for a moment.

… and in political news, Ohio Governor Tom Johnson dropped a bombshell this past week when he announced that if he wins the Democratic Presidential Candidacy his primary goal in his presidency will be to restrict firearm sales to civilians by 75% by the end of his first term as well as putting an end to independent sellers such as gun shows. While naturally, pro-gun organizations such as the NRA have voiced their protest against such a policy being adopted into law, with a steady increase of shootings and seemingly random acts of violence in virtually every major city, Governor Johnson has a surprising amount of support with recent polls showing 45% of voters giving positive feedback.

Why am I watching this? David said to himself as he turned and started trekking down the street again. Eventually David came to a small building with a neon cross hanging above it. Now church was the last place he wanted to be at this point, but he knew he wouldn’t survive out there alone all night. He needed to go somewhere.

He approached the door and tried to turn the knob but it wouldn’t budge. With a swift kick, the door flung wide open. He walked in and tried to shake off the cold, but it followed him. The church was surprisingly big on the inside with cathedral-style ceilings and even a few statues of saints with candles lit all around them. Catholics. Should’ve known. David shrugged as he walked further in the building. After a moment he found the restroom and went in to dry himself off and clean up a bit. As he walked out of the bathroom he felt a hard impact on the back of his head and everything went black...

******

David awoke groggily. It took him a moment to regain his bearings but when he did, it was apparent that he was lying on the floor of the church just outside the bathroom- the last place he remembered being. He groaned as he sat up, then quickly shut himself up when he heard footsteps quickly approaching. A woman stormed into the room sporting standard-issue penguin garb and planted herself directly in front of his face.

What are you doing here? She demanded. Are you a thief?

What? Are you telling me I got cold-cocked by a nun? David asked with disbelief.

The nun knelt down in front of him and grabbed his shirt. That’s right! And Jesus said to turn the other cheek which means next time I’m gonna hit you in the face! Now what are you doing here?

At that moment David noticed how young and surprisingly attractive the girl was, in spite of her threats and the ridiculous outfit.

Look, I was just evicted from my apartment, ok? I was just trying to get warm.

Well do it somewhere else. We don’t need your kind in here. She said as she started to shove him towards the door.

Mary Elizabeth! A stern female voice reverberated off the stone walls from the other room.

Upon hearing the voice the young nun jumped slightly, stood up erectly and bowed her head.

A tall older woman walked into the room in a robe and night-cap. What’s the meaning of this?

Mother-Superior, I caught this man breaking in. He kicked in the door.

The older woman took a hard look at David. Is this true?

Standing up slowly, David replied. Yes, ma’am. The door was locked. I was desperate to get inside some place safe.

Are you in some kind of trouble?

Not exactly. Not yet, anyway.

Mary Elizabeth, I want you to prepare a cot for our young guest.

What?! She exclaimed.

Mother-Superior replied with a simple look.

I mean, yes Mother-Superior.

Very good. Also, I want you to get him something to eat and tend to his wounds, if he has any. She turned her focus back to David. As for you, we’ll talk more in the morning.

I look forward to it. David said with a slight air of sarcasm.

Come with me and I’ll show you to your room. Mary Elizabeth said reluctantly.

David followed her down the hallway. He couldn’t help but look her up and down as he followed. The mysteries that lay beneath that black robe were mind-boggling to him. So what’s your name?

Mary Elizabeth. She responded sharply.

I know that. David said with a slight laugh. I meant your real name.

That is my real name. It was the name I was given when I was born again into Christ. She said as she stopped in front of a door and unlocked it. This is your room. There’s the cot and there’s blankets in the closet.

David walked past her into the room. He took a quick look around; he’d seen holding cells with more color.

I trust you’ll find you have everything you need. Good night, sir. She said as she turned to walk away.

Now sister, wait a second. Didn’t Mother-Superior say you were to tend to my wounds? David said with a smirk.

You look fine to me. Now, if that’ll be all, good-night.

Chapter 2

Sara and Kara

You’re flushing your life down the toilet! Her father yelled. We know you’ve been cutting school to see that loser, Ricky. Let me tell you something about him. He’s a drop-out, and you may think he’s ‘cool’ but he’s going no-where fast and he’s trying to take you with him.

I wish he would! Kara shouted. At least he understands me!

Honey, how can we understand when you won’t tell us what’s going on? Her mother asked in a pleading tone.

Don’t coddle her, Nancy! her father yelled. That’s what’s wrong with her! You try to get all psychological with her when what she really needs is a good kick in the ass!

Kara stood up and took a step toward her father and put her mouth next to his ear. You lay one finger on me, and I’ll have you arrested. She whispered.

He began to turn red with rage. You… -you…. He stammered.

You… you… what? Kara said mockingly as she paused to wait for a response that never came. That’s what I thought. Hey Mom, maybe you should get Dad’s balls out of the freezer and let them thaw, just in case he ever decides to use them. She said as she turned and walked up the stairs toward her room.

You’re grounded for three months, and… -and I want your cell phone! he yelled as his voice cracked slightly. He was still in shock from the horrible words his daughter had just said, and now everyone knew it.

Kara turned slowly. My cell phone? That’s the best you can do? She said as she fished the small device out of her pocket. Take the damn thing. Kara tossed the phone to her dad and continued up the stairs.

Sara could hear everything as she lay back in her bed staring at the ceiling. She always could. She couldn’t figure out where things went wrong. As young girls, she and her twin sister Kara were inseparable. They played together. They helped each other with homework. They held each other when they were scared. Charles and Nancy adopted them when they were nine, and at first the twins embraced them as the couple that was destined to be their loving parents all along, however, when Sara and Kara hit their teenage years, that closeness seemed to disappear.

Sara began taking advanced classes as early as 8th grade and eventually became an honor student, while Kara fell in with a crowd of local wannabe thugs who thought a good time was petty larceny and vandalism. And while Sara constantly explored the library for new ways to expand her thinking, Kara explored tattoo parlors for new ways to pierce and mutilate her body for attention. Many times Sara found herself sitting in her bed across from her sister in their yin-yang of a bedroom in total deafening silence.

Kara walked through the door and immediately went to her bed and -with her ear-buds in place -began writing angrily in her journal. Sara, gathering all the courage she could find, slowly walked across the room to engage her sister. As she approached the bed, the air in the room was thick with tension; she might as well have been waking a bear out of hibernation.

Kara? She said as she tapped her sister on the shoulder.

Kara’s only response was to pull out one ear-bud and glare at her sister with a look that seemed to shoot through her like a hot laser.

Hi. Um, I was wondering if we could talk for a while, cause you know I just feel…. Sara didn’t even get her sentence out before Kara put her ear-bud back in and went back to writing.

Now come on, Kara! I know you can hear me. The music can’t be that loud. I wanna talk. I’m really worried about you.

Oh, JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! She yelled as she pulled her ear-buds out, threw her journal against the wall and quickly got up. You know, if I hear one more person tell me about how I should run my life I’m gonna go insane!

Kara, I’m not trying to tell you how to run your life. What happened to us? We used to be close. We used to trust each other.

Yeah, well that was before. Kara said as she began to pace with frustration.

Before what? Are you saying that I did something to you? Sara said legitimately confused.

Oh, like you don’t know!

I really don’t know. Sara replied. "Please